Just a few weeks ago, Juan Lebrón and Franco Stupaczuk launched their season together in Riyadh. Three tournaments later, the Spanish-Argentine pair will already be playing a third consecutive final, after beating the best pair in the world, Arturo Coello and Agustín Tapia, in the semi-final of the Miami P1. At the end of the match, the two players returned to our colleagues at Padel Review of this performance and their state of mind as they approach another final.

An important victory, but the work continues

Franco Stupaczuk opened the conference with a smile:
“It’s a great moment, but we still have a long way to go. Beating the world's first pair, it's huge today. They have a impressive solidity, so tonight we're going to enjoy it a little, rest, and then get back to work tomorrow."

Asked about the evolution of their game between the first match lost against Coello/Tapia and today's victory, Juan Lebrón highlighted their tactical progression :
"We worked much better from back to front. Franco was exceptional in that area. Even though the ball came out less today, we managed to respond in key moments. They always push you to the limit, that's their strength. But we knew raise our level in decisive moments, it's very positive."

Miami P1 – Lebrón and Stupaczuk defeat kings Coello and Tapia and reach the final

Preparing for a final, always with humility

When asked about their mental preparation to face Alejandro Galán and Fede Chingotto, Lebrón remained true to his principles:
"We do as usual. We analyze the opponents, we look for their weak points, even if they are few in number. We saw that Mike and Coki pushed them to the limit, so we will take what we can from this analysis. But always with humilityWe're aiming for number 2 first, and then we'll see."

Miami P1 – Galán and Chingotto snatch their first final of the season after a thriller

A complementary duo

The journalists also asked the two players about their field relationship. Stupa responded with humor and lucidity:
"I have a partner who supports me well! But it must be said that he was number one for a long time, I often suffered him as an opponent, now I savor him as a teammate. He pushes me to give the best, and I too, demand the best from him. We understand each other well, even if sometimes we rub against each other. What matters is the common result, not the small tensions.

For his part, Lebrón insisted on the importance of daily work :
"We set ourselves clear objectives in training. When Franco asks me for something, I do it, and vice versa. That's what a real teamworkWe sacrificed part of our vacation to prepare for the season. This kind of work isn't visible, but it's what has allowed us to be in the final today."

A new beginning for Juan Lebrón

Returning from a complicated 2023 season, marked by injuries and controversies, Juan Lebrón acknowledged that he was going through a good period:
" I am very happyI feel good physically, it was a goal. Mentally too, I'm working hard. Last year, I took full responsibility for it. Now I'm enjoying the present with a great teammate and an incredible coach. Is this the best moment of my career? I don't know. But it's a great time, and I want to extend it."

Three finals in three tournaments

In conclusion, both players emphasized the consistency of their project since January:
"We had an intense preseason, almost a month and a half. We knew what to expect. Even the pairs outside the top 8 push you to the max. We started off flat out. This invisible work, no one remembers it, but it's essential to arrive in shape. Three finals in three tournaments is no accident."

The Lebrón/Stupaczuk pairing seems to have found its rhythm. It remains to be seen whether it will be able to convert this momentum into major title, starting this Sunday in Miami.

Franck Binisti

Franck Binisti discovered padel at the Club des Pyramides in 2009 in the Paris region. Since then, padel has been part of his life. You often see him touring France to cover major French padel events.

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